Young scholars

NEW

Ten masters students from Columbia University - IRI went to the developing world to support the work of the Red Cross / Red Crescent Climate Centre. We filmed their insights on how to link climate information with humanitarian decisions in Africa, the Americas and Asia/Pacific. Key lesson: focus on people. Watch the film here . Our gratitude to the NOAA Climate Program Office for supporting this work.

The Climate Centre thanks the following young researchers for their climate related work for the Red Cross and Red Crescent:
 

Arame TALL Columbia University – Climate and Society . Helped integrate climate science tools for the IFRC West and Central Africa. Supervisors: Madeleine Thomson and Youcef Ait-Cellouche. Partners: ACMAD , AGRHYMET. Read more (pdf, 848 kB).
Caitlin KOPCIK Columbia University – Climate and Society . Researched Caribbean and Central America hurricane operations to enhance preparedness. Supervisors: Walter Baethgen (IRI), Marjorie Soto Franco and Krystell Santamaria (Panama Regional Office) and Francisco Maldonado (PADRU )
Charlotte ÓLÖF JÓNSDÓTTIR FERRIER University of Iceland - Environment and Natural Resources Researching links between forecast and action in Doune Baba Dieye, Senegal Supervisors: Haukur Ingi Jónasson, Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir, Pablo Suarez
Cherise CHADWICK King's College London - Adaptation and Development Helped plan climate change adaptation with the Yemen Red Crescent and now in Fiji supporting the IFRC with integrating climate change into the VCA process. Supervisors: Mark Pelling, David Demeritt, Pablo Suarez
Cornelia SCHWENK University of Bayreuth - Global Change Ecology . Climate Change project proposal drafting, disaster databank creation for Caribbean IFRC Trinidad & Tobago. Supervisors: Keston Flemming and Nicole Williams External partners: State of Bavaria, Elitenetzwerk Bayern .  Read more .
Cynthia THOMSON Columbia University – Climate and Society Examined ENSO effects in Pacific region and how Red Cross can use forecast for risk reduction Supervisors: Rebecca McNaught (Climate Centre), Esther Conrad (IRI), Ruth Land (Red Cross)
Daniel COLLINS University of Wisconsin, Madison – Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment. Provided technical support to Ugandan Red Cross on risk management for Apac district Partners: Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment , David Ebong, MP. Read more (pdf, 48 kB).
Erin WNOROWSKI Boston University – Public Health Supported the formulation of a health and climate project proposal for the Kenya and Tanzania Red Cross societies. Supervisor: Lina Nerlander.
Fernanda BAUMHARDT Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam – Environment Resources Management . Facilitated participatory video activities in Mphunga village for Malawi Red Cross, Supervisors: Ralph Lasage and Frank Washoni. Partners: Malawi Meteorological Service. Watch the IVOH award-winning film: Adaptation to Climate Change by Mphunga Villagers
Isabelle LEMAIRE University College London - Environment and Sustainable Development . Developed video on climate risks in Jakarta for the Indonesian Red Cross and the IFRC. Supervisors: Adriana Allen and Fiona Ching. Partners: Urban and Regional Development Institute in Jakarta . Watch film: Beyond Response - Adapting to Climate Change at the Red Cross Read more about video and urban design: Climate-Related Disasters: Humanitarian Challenges and Reconstruction Opportunities (pdf, 681 kB).  Video-mediated approaches for community-level climate adaptation (pdf, 120 kB).
Jeff HENDLER University of Miami – School of Communication. Edited video on climate change for Cayman Islands Red Cross. Supervisors: Sanjeev Chatterjee and Hemant Balgobin. Partners: DIPECHO . Watch 4 minute film and TV-spot .
Jessica SHAROFF Columbia University – Climate and Society Helped understand and use climate and weather information for disaster preparedness in Southeast Asia Supervisors: Esther Conrad (IRI), Patrick Fox (IFRC's Southeast Asia Regional Delegation) and Rebecca McNaught (Climate Centre)
Julie ARRIGHI Columbia University – Climate and Society Developed Climate Action Groups to enhance adaptive capacity in Uganda. Supervisors: Pablo Suarez and Shaban Mawanda External Partners: Ministry of Water and Environment , MP David Ebong, IRI
Mary MWANGI Columbia University – Climate and Society Helped East African Red Cross Societies get comprehensible and useful weather tools tailored for them. IFRC Eastern Africa Zone Office, Nairobi, Kenya Supervisor: Oyundi Nehondo
Meaghan DALY Columbia University – Climate and Society Helped improve use of forecasts and community-based early warning systems in West and Central Africa. Supervisors: Youcef Ait-Chellouche, Pablo Suarez ACMAD , AGRHYMET, Togo Red Cross National Society
Mehdi COMEAU University of Colorado, Boulder -  Environmental Studies Program . Facilitated development of climate change video with students for Malawi Red Cross. Supervisors: Maina Mkandawire and Pablo Suarez. Partners: Bambino school (Lilongwe). Watch film: Malawi & Climate Change: Student Voices .
Nickleson COOK Linked IFRC Southern Africa Zonal Office with meteorological organizations. Supervisors: Maarten van Aalst, Farid Aiywar Partners: Coleen Vogel (University of the Witwatersrand )
Sarah ABDELRAHIM Columbia University – Climate and Society Helped integrate climate science tools at IFRC Zonal office for the Americas, Panama. Supervisors: Walter Baethgen and Krystell Santamaría. Partners: CATHALAC .
Toby BELLIS Royal Roads University, Canada – Disaster and Emergency Management. Supported development of a proposal for urban risk management for Senegal Red Cross. Supervisors: Miriam Grant and Youcef Ait-Cellouche. Partners: ACMAD , AGRHYMET, Météo Senegal . Read more (pdf, 99 kB).
Ujala QADIR Columbia University – Climate and Society Identified constraints to the effective use of climate information and forecasts by farming communities and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.  Supervisors: Pablo Suarez, Paul Block, Molly Helmuth

    
Group projects

Bambino School , Lilongwe, Malawi.
Raising awareness on climate change.
Coordinator: Maina Mkandawire.
Watch film here .
 
Malawi Institute of Management .
Impact of HIV/AIDS and climate change on disaster management institutions.
Coordinator: Prof. Precious Givah.
Funded by the World Bank .
 
Universidad Nacional de La Plata , Argentina – Dept. of Industrial Design.
Prototyping an early warning device for the Mozambican Red Cross.
Coordinator: Prof. Guillermo Bauer.
 
Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina – Dept of Audiovisual Communication.
Video tools for climate change awareness in Argentinean shantytowns.
Coordinators: Prof. Fabio Benavidez and Andrea Santoro.
Funded by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research .